Two heroic family dogs battled a venomous copperhead snake to protect their young human family members in Brandon, Florida. Melissa Butt was spending the afternoon outside with her two grandkids when she suddenly heard loud barking coming from her dogs. 

The pit bulls named Slayer and Paco were standing in front of Melissa's four-year-old grandson and 1-year-old granddaughter looking at the grass just feet away from the front door.

The grandma rushed over to find out what the dogs were barking at when she spotted a huge copperhead snake just inches away. She yelled for her daughter, who promptly picked up the kids and brought them in doors. 

The snake struck Paco, biting him in the elbow, which triggered Slayer to go into attack mode.

"My Slayer takes over all of those situations. He's ultra protective of the family," Melissa told CBS.  

Slayer proceeded to pick up the snake with his mouth, killing it. 

Both pit bulls suffered battle wounds during their brave and treacherous fight against the poisonous predator. 

In addition to Paco's elbow bite, the snake bit Slayer twice in the face, causing his snout to swell up to nearly double its normal size in 30 minutes. Both Paco and Slayer were rushed to the vet, where they were given medication and injections of antivenin. 

"I know my dogs are heroes and without a doubt saved the lives of my grandchildren. They are too small to have fought something off like that. If they had gotten bit, I'm 100 percent sure they wouldn't have survived," Melissa told CBS.